Green Living > Conservation > EnergyJanuary 30, 2008

Set Your Dishwasher To Rinse With Cold Water

Here is how I use my 10-year-old-three-cycle dishwasher, so it doesn't "cook" the food in the plates. First, I must say that I never rinse any of my dishes; I put all of them right away in the dishwasher. But, for the first of the three cycles, I turn on the cold water only, this way, the dishes are well rinsed by the cold water during the first cycle, and not "cooked" by the hot water. And it works, 98.7% of the time.

It takes me about three or four minutes of waiting time beside the machine, of which I take advantage to sweep the kitchen floor. I never go away, since I always forget to turn on the hot water after the first filling is finished.

Source: My brain

By Andre' from Guelph, ON

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By
01/30/2008

I don't understand. I put my dishes in the dishwasher and turn it on. How do you get it to wash with cold water?

By DEBRADJ. (Guest Post) 01/30/2008

Some advice from my husband who has been repairing appliances for 35 years. The first cycle is the most important cycle. It needs to to be hot so the soap can be activated and start cleaning your dishes. Using cold water is not a real good idea. You want to also use as much hot water as possible not only to get the dishes clean but also to kill the bacteria.

By
01/30/2008

I never rinse my dizhes either. What's the point of having a dishwasher if you're doing all the work for it? I have family members who scrub all their dishes clean and then put them into the dishwasher. What a waste of time, water, soap, and energy.

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